4 I Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 NAACP dinner emphasizes leadership, activism By Alexa Agugliaro COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER A crowd of over 200 students erupted in a call and return chant led by Travis Salters, the presi dent of Penn State’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Sunday night. This chant marked the begin ning of the sixth annual Freedom Rind Dinner, held in the HUB Alumni Hall. Paul John, the dinner’s coordi nator, revealed the night’s theme: "Still We Rise; Striving for Excellence." which focused main ly on the issues of student leader ship and activism. The keynote speaker of the event was Chuck Williams, an associate professor at Drexel University and inspirational speaker throughout the country. Williams expressed his gratitude to the NAACP for inviting him to the event and described the expe rience as the "best I've ever seen.” Daniel Bott/Coiiegian Bicycle collector Bob Swaim, of Allentown, rides his wooden bike :ohind the State College Municipal Building on Friday morning. Man shows off wooden bicycle By Lynn Ondrusek FOR the collegian It was a, strange scene to wit less tor those who didn't know a wooden bike had come to town. The bike made its debut in state College Friday morning at tie State College Municipal i holding, and some borough offi cials went tor a ride using the unique modi 1 of transportation. Mayor Elizabeth Goreham was ■h>.- first person to ride the $4,800 eke purchased by Allentown res den.t Bob Swaim on a recent trip to La.' Vegas. Goreham. an avid cyclist her selt. said she enjoyed taking the >ike tor a spin. It was a smooth ride, and were no splinters." i iorenam said. "It's not for every day riding, but you get used to it." Other riders Friday morning included Police Chief Tom King, who also said he had a positive experience riding the bike. Alter a few miles, it could be tough. but it is comfortable." King said. Swaim. who will take the bike home with him this week, said he was excited to see others ride the bike and appreciate the rare piece of art as much as he does. I wanted to recapture the Las Vegas moment." he said, refer ring to when he spotted the bike at a trade show in September. After the bike was showcased in town, it was taken to the HUB- Robeson Center for a couple of hours where some passersby Exam Packs Now! ACCTG 211.1-18 ACCTG 404.4-6 ANSC 322.1-3 ANTH 009.1 ASTRO 001.4 BA 304.1,2 BBH 451.1 BIOL 141.1 BIOL 155.1 BIOL 427.1 BIOL 430.1 BIOL 469.1 BIOL 472.1 BISC 002.1 GEOG 020.1-8 BISC 003.901,902 HDFS 129.1 BISC 004.1 BMB 251.1 BMB 251.2 HDFS 455.1 CAMS 020.1-5,8-10 HIST 012.1-4 CHEM 101.1,2 CHEM 112.1 CHEM 112.2 CHEM 210.1,2 CHEM 212.1 COMM 180.1 COMM 205.1,2 Nittany vA Notes ■ 814-238-0623 www.nittanynotes.com “This generation will do some great things and that is evident in this room,” Williams said. He continued to emphasize leadership and how to be an effec tive activist not only in school but in all aspects of life. The night’s performers includ ed the United Soul Ensemble, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Jackie Renee and the New Deal band and student Raj Suresh, winner of the Freedom Rind Dinner Poetry Contest. NAACP treasurer Suresh (jun ior-marketing) recited a poem he wrote entitled “I am here now,” which, he said, was a powerful statement everyone should be able to say at some point in their life. He said his message was about standing up for what the audience believes and constantly question the “norms” of society. Various student groups gath ered to support the NAACP and to learn more about how to be an active leader while also enjoying couldn’t help but stare. "I walked by, looked left and went, 'What the heck?' ” Michael Kramer (freshman-English and anthropology) said. “It draws your eye as soon as you see it." Students and visitors who stopped by were also interested in how the bike moves, in addition to its interesting physical charac teristics. "It’s a work of art,” HUB employee Randy Hale said. - Tve never seen anything like it. It’s beautiful." The bike traveled 2,800 miles from San Jose. Calif., to State College, with the help of two women. One woman works for Master Works Wood and Design, the company that created the bike. "People are attracted to wood, probably because of its warmth,' said Denise Olenak, who sold Swaim the bike. The wooden bike was made by workers at the San Jose-based company. About 85 to 90 hours of work went into its creation. With the exception of a few metal parts including a bolt on the handles and screws on the wheels, the bike is entirely com posed of maple and mahogany wood. After its initial construction, the bike was sealed with marine plywood and coated to protect it from the elements. "Art is usually something you look at, which is functional," he said. ‘But I believe all bikes to be works of art.” KINES 360.1 MATH 034.1-6 MGMT 100.1 MGMT 301.1 MICRB 106.1 MICRB 410.1 MIS 204.1 NUTR 100.1,3 PLSC 003.1 PSYCH 100.1 PSYCH 105.1 PSYCH 212.1 PSYCH 221.2 PSYCH 256.1 PSYCH 269.1 PSYCH 270.1 PSYCH 412.1 PSYCH 476.1 PSYCH 481.1 REST 301.1,5 REST 301.3 RLST 001.1-3,6-8 SOC 023.1,2 SOC 030.1,2 SOC 110.1 SOC/CRIM 012.1,2 COMM 320.1 COMM 381.1 COMM 403.3 CRIM 100.1 CRIM 100.3 CSD 300.1 CSD 331.1 ECON 002.1,4,5 ECON 002.9 ECON 433.1,2 ECON 433.3 EGEE 101.3 FDSC/STS 105.1 HDFS 239.2 HDFS 249.1 HIST 143.1-4 HORT 101.1.2 HPA 101.1-11 IN ART 010.1 INART 050.1 KINES 202.1-7 KINES 350.2 LOCAL the entertainment provided. University Park Undergraduate Association President Christian Ragland said that as an African American student on campus, it’s nice to see an event of this magni tude bringing together people from different backgrounds. “Rir me, it’s just a night away from the office to enjoy nice per formances and hear what the speakers have to say,” Ragland (senior-political science) said. For Gabriel Piza, treasurer of the Latino Caucus, the anticipa tion leading up to the event had finally paid off. Though it was his first time attending the annual event, he described the experi ence as “unforgettable.” NAACP vice president Jasmine Rushum said she was very pleased with the turnout of the event. “This is what the NAACP is all about,” Rushum (junior-broadcast journalism and sociology) said. To e-mail reporter: amas4s3@psu.edu Vet shares WWII experiences By Kathleen Loughran COLLEGIAN staff writer Arthur Seltzer just wanted to forget. But when his granddaughter called him for help with her fifth grade report on the Holocaust, he couldn’t let her down, so he told her his story as one of the American soldiers who liberated the Dachau concentration camp. On Friday, Seltzer shared his story again with a small group of students and faculty who attend ed the First Friday in Jewish Studies run by the Jewish Studies program. At age 18, Seltzer was drafted into the army. Throughout his time fighting in World War 11. he served with 20 different units. But it wasn’t until Seltzer came face to face with the Dachau con centration camp in April of 1945 that he found out exactly what a concentration camp was. “All the time that we were in the service, we were never told about concentration camps,” he said. "We were headed to meet the Russian army ... and looked through a field glass and thought it was a prisoner of war camp. " Event to focus on ‘finding strength’ By Leah Gillen COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Carlee Fishkin said she was surprised by how common sexual assault is on college campuses including at University Park. "You don't realize how relevant it is on campus until you get the facts on what is actually consid ered sexual assault and how often it happens here," Fishkin (senior public relations) said. As a project for COMM 478 (Public Relations Campaigns), a group of five students, including Fishkin, and the Commission for Women advisory board put together a sexual assault aware ness event with educational and self-defense portions that will be held from 7:30 to 9 tonight in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center’s Heritage Hall. Members of the group said the event will emphasize the preva lence of sexual assault on college campuses, as well as the need to work to prevent it. "It doesn't get talked about much, because it's a touchy issue," group member Michelle Turli (senior-public relations and psychology) said. "This provides a relaxed, inviting atmosphere for TOmOPPOIH (NOV 0) Make your appointments online ad http://studentaffalrs.psu.edu/health cosc is $2O and may De Dined co youn scudsnc accounc. Covered by the Penn State student health Insurance plan. Conveniently located on the University Park campus of Penn State penn Sdace sbimenGS sbay healdhy dhis ilntep-gec Immunized! Nigel Graham / Collegian Chuck Williams, the keynote speaker at the NAACP’s Freedom Fund dinner, speaks to the crowd about effective leadership Sunday night. Seltzer said they originally saw black smoke towering over the mountains, but they didn't know what it was for. Once they realized it was a concentration camp, the 20th Army Division contacted army headquarters, and the next day. sirens could be heard as then-General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived. "He immediately contacted me and told us to take as many pic tures as we can because they needed to go into record." Seltzer said. During his speech. Seltzer showed attendees photographs he took of the concentration camp. including 35-pound inmates whose rib cages were visible, prisoners in black and white sti'iped clothing clutching the fence and dead bodies thrown into a pile on the ground. Attendee Nikolin Toroveci dun ioi-political science > said the whole story was impacting, but the pictures specifically drew his attention. Mass trenches were built on the site so German soldiers could have a place to bulldoze the bod ies into. Seltzer said. When Eisenhower arrived, he If you go What: Sexual assault aware ness event When: 7:30 to 9 tonight Where: Paul Robeson Cultural Center's Heritage Hall people who want to attend. It's not that everybody faces this issue, but you probably know someone who did. or someone who will in the future." When the group first met with the Commission for Women in early October, they discovered that the commission had a com mittee dedicated solely to sexual assault on the Penn State cam pus. "Just the fact that there is a need for a committee for that shows that it is a big issue for Penn State .students." group member Chelsea Levine (senior public relations) said. The event focuses on finding strength as a woman, including portions of the night committed to both inner and outer strength. For the first half of the event, alumna Mary Anne Knapp, a Hearts On Fire • The Hearts On Fire Diamond Engagement Bing set in platinum starti ngat $i.050 moyerjovolora 100 East College Avenue. State College. PA 814.23-.-p44 mrnvr/f'Hvlcri.nuu View our entire collection at hcartsonfire.com The Daily Collegian made all the American soldiers canv the unburied bodies. "He told them, Don't you dare drag those bodies.' " Seltzer said. Since the war. Seltzer has had the opportunity to talk to three of the people lie liberated one of whom he unknowingly captured in a meture. One of the liberated people Seltzer contacted told him a story that he shared at the event. "In the barracks, there were six inmates that were too weak to come out." he said. "IThe inmate Seltzer spoke to| called out his iast name and found his father. His lather and he were in the same camp, and they didn't even know it. Two weeks later, the father died " Allison Fox said she was glad sin was able to attend the event. i thought it was really mov ing." Fox senior-psychology) For people who deny the Holocaust happened. Seltzer said lie could never "make up some thing like tins." "It brings back memories that will never go away." he said. krlslo6@psu.edu social worker and counselor for Perm Stale t enter for Counseling and Psychological Services, will presen! an informal program focused on minimizing the risk for sexual assatii! among women at Penn State. The second half of the program will focus on self defense. An instructor from Lionheart Fitness will present different defense strategies. "We're not promoting the idea that you'll fight off an attacker." Turli said. "But you are strong enough to protect yourself and make sate choices." Originally, the group wanted an event tor the self-defense class alone, but soon realized the event needed an educational aspect as well. "We Hit like the two aspects of the event were going to get peo ple to come." said Levine. "The combination of physical and educational aspects is the best way to get the issue out and deliver u quality product to the students." The group hopes to have about 100 attendees. While targeted at women, the event is open to all. To e >nail reporter: lags2s7@psu.edu
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